What OTC Drug May Have Killed More People in 1918 Flu Pandemic than Flu Itself?

Historic evidence points to too much aspirin as a contributor to high death tolls during the 1918-1919 flu pandemic.

Most causes of death from influenza are actually the result of pneumonia. Deaths from flu in 1918 were attributable to lung complications, potentially caused by taking too much aspirin.

Aspirin was widely recommended during the 1918 flu pandemic, but taking too much leads to aspirin toxicity. The result is hemorrhage and fluid buildup in the lungs that can lead to death from respiratory complications.

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

During the 1918 flu pandemic there were no antibiotics, other than sulfur drugs, no IV fluids and no respirators -- all the doctors of that era could offer was a warm bed and aspirin.

Now it appears that this misguided advice may actually have caused a significant proportion of deaths by way of pulmonary edema, an abnormal build up of fluid in your lungs that can be caused by taking too much aspirin.

There are a couple of lessons to be learned from this new revelation.

One, you must be very wary of taking a medication because there are always risks involved -- even for an over-the-counter drug like aspirin.

And in cases of chronic overdose, in which normal daily doses build up in your body over time, symptoms such as the following can develop:

Fatigue

Slight fever

Confusion

Collapse

Rapid heart beat

Uncontrollable rapid breathing

The second lesson to be learned from this finding has to do with its implications on modern-day pandemics, including the current H1N1 swine flu debacle.

If Flu Was Not the Real Killer in 1918 …

The recommendations and projections for the swine flu pandemic are flawed, as many projections for a new pandemic have been based on a worst-case 1918 scenario, in which tens of millions of people would die globally.

However, since aspirin overdose may have been a major contributor the death toll would actually be much lower. Recent studies have also indicated that strep infections, rather than the flu virus itself, may have killed most people during the 1918 influenza pandemic, which further adds to the notion that the swine flu is being over-hyped.

Strep is much easier to treat than the flu using modern medicine, so a new pandemic might be much less dire than it was in the early 20th century.

That is, as long as the same mistake is not made twice regarding medications.

What Medication May be Contributing to “Flu” Deaths in 2009?

In 1918, it was aspirin. Today it’s Tamiflu that is being passed out like candy to nearly anyone with flu-like symptoms.

Serious side effects of Tamiflu include convulsions, delirium or delusions, and 14 deaths in children and teens have been reported as a result of neuropsychiatric problems and brain infections. Japan actually banned Tamiflu for children in 2007 because of the steep risks.

Researchers are quite concerned that birds exposed to these waterborne residues could develop and spread drug-resistant strains of various types of flu, showing that once again the risks of overdoing any type of drug treatment can be steep.

The treatment being offered in 1918, aspirin, may have ended up killing a significant number of people. Aside from Tamiflu, what “treatment” is being offered for the swine flu pandemic today?

The H1N1 vaccine.

Health officials everywhere are now recommending each man, woman and child get as many as four flu shots this season; two doses for the swine flu, and one or two doses for the seasonal flu, depending on whether you’ve ever had a flu shot before.

Fortunately, the information train is working and we are getting the word out. Nearly two-thirds of 1,500 parents who responded to a Consumer Reports poll said that they'd either wait or refuse the vaccine for their children.

In 1918, whether people died from aspirin overdose, a secondary bacterial infection or some other currently unknown cause, and today during the swine flu “pandemic,” what is required or responsible for the actual infection to take hold is a dysfunctional immune system.

If you are healthy you can have enormous exposure to infectious agents and you simply will NOT get sick. A vaccine is simply not the solution … a healthy immune system is.

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Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.

If you want to use an article on your site please click here. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.

If you want to use an article on your site please click here. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.